Wheel-supported cap-firing mechanism for toys



April 4, 1967 w. STRAUSS 3,312,012

WHEEL-SUPPORTED CAP-FIRING MECHANISM FOR TOYS Filed Feb. 6, 1964 F I G. 3 Y M 75R L 592%?9" United States Patent 3,312,012 WHEEL-SUPPORTED CAP-FIRING MECHANISM FOR TOYS Waiter L. Strauss, 1107 Broadway,

New York, N.Y. 10010 Filed Feb. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 342,992 3 Claims. (Cl. 46-111) The present invention relates to a wheel-supported mechanism for incorporation in a wheeled toy.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved mechanism of the general kind above referred to which, when rotation is imparted to its wheels, causes the firing of successive caps of the kind widely used in so-called cap guns.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved mechanism of the general kind above referred to the trigger mechanism of which is alternately cocked and triggered as the wheels of the toy rotate.

Another more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved toy mechanism in which a strip of caps is transported step by step into and past the trigger mechanism when and While the Wheels rotate, whereby successive caps are moved into the firing position.

Rotation may be imparted to the wheels of the mechanism by any suitable instrumentality, such as a momentum-operated drive, a spring motor, an electric motor, or also by simply pulling or pushing the toy mechanism along a base.

The toy mechanism may be encased or incorporated in any suitable toy body, for instance, a weapon carrier such as a tank, a toy railroad car mounting a gun, the figure of a soldier, a law enforcement officer such as a policeman or sheriff, or a western-type figure such as a cowboy.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention 'will be pointed out hereinafter and set forth in the appended claims constituting part of the application.

In the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of illustration, and not by way of limitation.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational sectional view of a toy incorporating the mechanism according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of FIG. 1, partly broken open; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational view of the mechanism showing the same in an operational stage different from that shown in FIG. 1.

The exemplified embodiment of the invention shows the mechanism encased or incorporated in a sheet metal body simulating a weapon carrier 1. The weapon carrier is shown as a tank having a track-laying chassis 2 and a gun turret 3 from which a gun barrel 4 protrudes. As stated before, the use of the mechanism is by no means confined to a vehicle of the type shown or any type of vehicle; the mechanism can also be incorporated in a toy body simulating a human figure.

The tank is shown as being supported on a pair of rear wheels 5 and a front wheel 6. The tank should be visualized as being capable of moving along any suitably smooth surface. Rear wheels 5 constitute part of the mechanism according to the invention, as will become apparent from the subsequent description, whereas front wheel 6 is an idler and is mounted in a suitable manner on the tank body. Of course, the mechanism of the in vention may also be coupled with a front wheel drive.

The mechanism comprises the following major assemblies:

Trigger means 10,

Trigger-actuating means 11,

Guide and support means 12 for a strip of caps,

Transport means 13,

Transport-actuating means 14,

Transmission means 15 for operating the trigger-actuating means 11 and the transport-operating means 14, and

A casing-like frame structure 22 housing and supporting all the afore-listed assemblies and also a shaft 23 for rear wheels 5.

The trigger means comprise a striker plate which is held stationary when a cap is to be fired, and a striker 31. The striker is pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 32, which in turn is supported in frame structure 22. A spring 33, such as a wire spring, abuts at one end against a lug 34 on frame structure 22 and at the other end against the striker to urge the same toward and against striker plate 30.

The trigger-actuating means 11 comprises a cam disk 35 rotatably supported on the frame structure by means of a pin 36. Disk 35 has secured thereto a pin 37 extending substantially parallel to the rotational axis of disk 35 but eccentric in reference thereto. Pin 37 coacts with an extension 31a of striker 31 so that the striker during each revolution of disk 35 is forced from the position of FIG. 1, in'which the firing surface 31b of 'the striker is pressed against striker plate 30 by spring 33, into the position of FIG. 3. The latter position constitutes the cocked position of the striker by virtue of the now loaded spring 33. As is evident, continued rotation of disk 35 in counterclockwise direction, as is indicated by an arrow, will cause pin 37 to slip oif extension 31a, thereby releasing striker 31. The striker will now be propelled by the force of spring 33 toward and against striker plate 30, thereby firing a cap placed between the striker plate and the firing plate 31b of the striker.

The guide and support means 12 comprise a bracketlike structure 40 which has an extension 41 mounting a pin 42 for placing thereon a conventional roll of cap strip 43. Strip support bracket 40 is pivotally supported on frame structure 22 by means of a pivot pin 44. The support bracket is tiltable between the full-line position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, which is the firing position, into the dotted-line position shown in FIG. 3, which is the loading position. As may be noted, pin 42 is clear of the frame structure 22 in the latter position for insertion of a fresh roll of cap strip.

A spring 45 abutting at one end against a wall of frame structure 22 and at the other end against a wall portion of support bracket 40 urges the latter into its loading or raised position. The support bracket is retained in its firing or lower position by a catch pin engageable with a nose 46 on the support bracket. Pin 50 is supported in a wall portion of frame structure 22 at 51 so that the pin can perform the limited pivotal motion indicated in FIG. 2. The pin is extended through an elongated slot 52 in frame structure 22 and also through a slot 53 in the gun turret 3 of the tank. A spring 55 secured at one end to the frame structure at 56 and at the other end to pin 50 urges the pin into the full-line position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, which is the position in which the pin is engaged with nose 46, thereby retaining the guide and support bracket 40 in its firing position. To release the support bracket for loading, the pin is tilted from the full-line position of FIG. 2 into the dotted-line position of FIGS. 2 and 3. Spring 45 will then auto- 3 matically snap the support bracket into the dotted-line position of FIG. 3.

The support bracket is provided with a curved wall portion 47 which serves to guide a strip of caps and terminates in striker plate 39, which thus constitutes part of the guide and support means 12. FIG. 3 illustrates the location of a strip portion as it is guided by wall portion 47 into a position in which it may be struck by the release of striker 31 in the manner previously described.

The strip transport means comprises a claw member 60. This claw member is in the form of a bar which can perform a limited lengthwise movement and also a limited pivotal movement within the casing structure. To this end, bar 60 is provided with two lateral noses 61, only one of which is shown in FIG. 1, the other being on the opposite side of frame structure 22. Each of these noses is guided in a slot 62 of the frame structure. The slots are so dimensioned that claw strip 6% can perform the limited lengthwise and pivotal movements within frame structure 22 in reference to slots 62. A downwardly pulling spring 63 biases strip 60 into the lowermost position permitted by noses 61, and a horizontally pulling spring 64 biases the bar into a tilted position in which the upper end of the bar presses against the cap strip portion guided on curved guide wall portion 47, as can best be seen in FIG. 3.

The opposite end of bar 60 coacts with the camming surface of cam disk 35. This camming surface has a configuration such that during each revolution of the disk the bar will perform a reciprocal lengthwise movement and will also become slightly tilted in reference to the cap strip portion guided along wall poriton 47. As is evident, spring 63 will pull the claw member 60 downwardly when and while the configuration of the portion of the camming surface in contact with member 60 permits such movement, and member 60 will be pushed upward again as cam disk 35 continues its rotation. As is evident, the upward movement of claw 60 when in contact with the cap strip portion will pull the latter upwardly by a distance corresponding to the length of the upward movement of member 69 during which the forward edge of bar 60 is in contact with the cap strip, thus placing successive caps in the firing position on striker plate 30. During the downward movement of claw member 60 by the action of spring 33, the camming surface will force the forward edge of bar 60 out of engagement with the cap strip against the action of spring 64 so that no transport of the cap strip occurs.

As has been explained, the actuation of both the trigger means and the transport means is derived from the rotation of disk 35. The control of both actuations by this common component are so correlated that transport of the cap strip is effected when and while striker 31 is being pivoted into the cocked position of FIG. 3.

Rotation of shaft 36, on which disk 35 is seated, is derived fr-om rotation of wheels 5. Shaft 23, on which the wheels are seated, also seats a gear 70 fixedly secured on shaft 23. Gear 76 is in mesh with a pinion 71 secured to shaft 72, which is fixedly secured to frame structure 22 and also seats a gear 73. Pinion 71 is in mesh with a gear 74 seated on a shaft 75, also seating a pinion 76. Pinion 76 is in mesh with a gear 77 seated on shaft 36, which further supports the cam disk 35. The cam disk is secured to shaft 36 by any suitable means, such as a bushing 36a. The aforementioned gear 73 is in mesh with a pinion 78 seated on a shaft 79, to which there is secured a flywheel 80.

As is evident, rotation of wheels will be transmitted by the afore-described gear train to cam disk 35 and also to flywheel 80. The ratio of transmission by which rotation is transmitted from wheels 5 to the flywheel is such that the rate of rotation of the flywheel is considerably higher than that of the wheels, and as a result a corresponding momentum is stored in the flywheel, causing continued rotation of the wheels. Accordingly, the tank will continue to move along a surface until the momentum stored in the flywheel is exhausted. Momentum drives of this kind are well known in the art. As the tank moves along a surface, striker 31 will be alternately cocked and released or triggered, as previously described. The momentum drive can be replaced by a spring motor or an electric motor, provided only that such motor includes appropriate gearing to impart rotation to cam disk 35 when and while the tank or other body in which the motor is incorporated is being moved. As is evident, it is not necessary for the concept of the invention to provide a power drive for the wheels; it is sufficient if the tank or other body is pulled or pushed by a child along a surface, provided only that the resulting rotation of wheels 5 is transmitted to disk 35.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to a certain now preferred example and embodiment of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art, after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy mechanism comprising a frame structure, running wheels mounted on said frame structure, a trigger mechanism supported on said frame structure and including a striker plate and a striker mounted movable into and out of coaction with said plate, a spring urging said striker into coaction with said plate, guide means for guiding a strip of caps between the striker plate and the striker, trigger-actuating means coacting with said striker and when operated alternately cocking the striker against the action of the spring and releasing the striker for firing a cap placed upon the striker plate, and transmission means coupling said wheels with said trigger- -actuating means for operating the latter upon rotation of the wheels, said transmission means comprising a gear train including an input gear drivingly coupled to the wheels, an output gear and intermediate gears, a flywheel, a flywheel shaft rotatably supported by said frame structure, and a flywheel-driving gear mounted on said shaft for spinning said flywheel by rotation of said flywheel gear, said flywheel gear being drivingly coupled with one of the intermediate gears in said gear train, the ratio of transmission between said wheels and said flywheel being such that the rotational speed of the flywheel is higher than that of the wheels when a rotational force is applied to the wheels, whereby the kinetic force stored in the flywheel causes the continuous rotation of the wheels and operation of the trigger-actuating means until the total kinetic force is exhausted, said trigger-actuating means including a rotatable disk segment drivingly coupled with said output gear of the transmission means and a pin eccentrically extending from said disk segment substantially parallel to the rotational axis thereof, said striker having an extension extending into the path of said pin during each revolution of said disk segment, engagement of the striker extension with said pin cocking the striker against the action of said spring and disengagement of the striker releasing the same for striking action.

2. A toy mechanism comprising a frame structure, running wheels mounted on said frame structure, a trigger mechanism supported on said frame structure and including a striker plate and a striker mounted movable into and out of coaction with said plate, a spring urging said striker into coaction with said plate, guide means for guiding a strip of caps between the striker plate and the striker, trigger-actuating means coacting with said striker and when operated alternately cocking the striker against the action of the spring and releasing the striker for firing a cap placed upon the striker plate, strip transport means for transporting said strip of caps step by step past said striker plate, and transmission means coupling said wheels with said trigger-actuating means and also with said transport means to operate the trigger-actuating means and the strip transport means upon rotation of said wheels, said transmission means comprising a gear train including an input gear drivingly coupled to the wheels, an output gear and intermediate gears, a flywheel, a flywheel shaft rtatably supported by said frame structure, and a flywheeldriving gear mounted on said shaft for spinning said flywheel by rotation of said flywheel gear, said flywheel gear being drivingly coupled with one of the intermediate gears in said gear train, the ratio of transmission between said wheels and said flywheel being such that the rotational speed of the flywheel is higher than that of the wheels when a rotational force is applied to the wheels, whereby the kinetic force thus stored in the flywheel causes a continuous rotation of the wheels and operation of the trigger-actuating means until the stored kinetic energy is exhausted; said strip transport means including a rotary cam disk drivingly coupled with the output gear of said gear train for rotation by the same, and a lengthwise displaceable claw member, one end of the claw member engaging the camming surface of said disk for lengthwise reciprocating the claw member during each revolution of the disk andthe other end of the claw member engaging the cap strip during each reciprocation of the claw member, thereby imparting said step-by-step movement to the cap strip; and said trigger-actuating means including a driving pin extending from said disk eccentrically in reference to the rotational axis thereof, said driving pin intermittently engaging said striker during each revolution of the disk, thereby respectively cocking and releasing the striker.

3. A toy mechanism according to claim 2, wherein said mechanism has means correlating the camming surface of the cam disk to the location of said pin so that the claw member is actuated for transport of the cap strip by one step during the cocking movement of the striker.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 840,409 1/1907 Wood 46196 X 926,307 6/1909 Wertz 46-198 2,137,154 11/1938 Brubaker 4257 2,137,159 11/1938 Fischer 46-196 2,597,089 5/1952 Everett. 2,788,613 4/1957 Gelfand et al 46-209 X 3,024,566 3/1962 Licitisi 46-1l2 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

F. B. LEONARD, L. I. BOVASSO, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A TOY MECHANISM COMPRISING A FRAME STRUCTURE, RUNNING WHEELS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME STRUCTURE, A TRIGGER MECHANISM SUPPORTED ON SAID FRAME STRUCTURE AND INCLUDING A STRIKER PLATE AND A STRIKER MOUNTED MOVABLE INTO AND OUT OF COACTION WITH SAID PLATE, A SPRING URGING SAID STRIKER INTO COACTION WITH SAID PLATE, GUIDE MEANS FOR GUIDING A STRIP OF CAPS BETWEEN THE STRIKER PLATE AND THE STRIKER, TRIGGER-ACTUATING MEANS COACTING WITH SAID STRIKER AND WHEN OPERATED ALTERNATELY COCKING THE STRIKER AGAINST THE ACTION OF THE SPRING AND RELEASING THE STRIKER FOR FIRING A CAP PLACED UPON THE STRIKER PLATE, AND TRANSMISSION MEANS COUPLING SAID WHEELS WITH SAID TRIGGERACTUATING MEANS FOR OPERATING THE LATTER UPON ROTATION OF THE WHEELS, SAID TRANSMISSION MEANS COMPRISING A GEAR TRAIN INCLUDING AN INPUT GEAR DRIVINGLY COUPLED TO THE WHEELS, AN OUTPUT GEAR AND INTERMEDIATE GEARS, A FLYWHEEL, A FLYWHEEL SHAFT ROTATABLY SUPPORTED BY SAID FRAME STRUCTURE, AND A FLYWHEEL BY ROTATION OF SAID FLYWHEEL FOR SPINNING SAID FLYWHEEL BY ROTATION OF SAID FLYWHEEL GEAR, SAID FLYWHEEL GEAR BEING DRIVINGLY COUPLED WITH ONE OF THE INTERMEDIATE GEARS IN SAID GEAR TRAIN, THE RATIO OF TRANSMISSION BETWEEN SAID WHEELS AND SAID FLYWHEEL BEING SUCH THAT THE ROTATIONAL SPEED OF THE FLYWHEEL IS HIGHER 